How popular isNorthgate?
In September 2026, people searched for Northgate by name about 9,900 times in the United Kingdom, a 50% increase from the previous year. These searches made up 15.1% of all United Kingdom van hire company searches, placing Northgate third out of six companies. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about van hire companies, Northgate did not appear in any of the answers.
Northgate is the third most searched of 6 competitors.
Enterprise Rent-A-CarShare of searches 41.3%Mentioned in 3 of 3 AI answers
Arnold ClarkShare of searches 33.8%Mentioned in 1 of 3 AI answers
NorthgateShare of searches 15.1%Mentioned in 0 of 3 AI answers
HertzShare of searches 8.2%Mentioned in 0 of 3 AI answers
EuropcarShare of searches 0.9%Mentioned in 0 of 3 AI answers
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Top van hire companies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Northgate did not appear in any of the three answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Arnold Clark1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Northgate0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Hertz0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Europcar0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Thrifty0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about van hire companies
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where's the best place to hire a van in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which van hire company should I use for moving house?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Who has the cheapest van hire in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“van hire”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 27, 2026.
Which van hire companies compete with Northgate?
Share of searches by month for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Arnold Clark, Northgate, Hertz. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Arnold Clark | Northgate | Hertz | Europcar | Thrifty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.9% | 39.9% | 9.7% | 8% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 35.3% | 43.1% | 10.5% | 8.6% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.8% | 40.8% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 0.88% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.6% | 40.6% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 0.88% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 38.5% | 38.5% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 0.83% | 1.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 39.3% | 39.3% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 0.86% | 1.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.5% | 34.8% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 0.92% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 39.4% | 39.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 0.86% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 42.6% | 34.9% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 0.93% | 0.93% |
| Jul 2026 | 38.6% | 38.6% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 1% | 0.84% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.6% | 38.6% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 1% | 0.84% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.3% | 33.8% | 15.1% | 8.2% | 0.9% | 0.73% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, moved from 2nd to 1st | 41.3% | 27.1K | 0% | +2.7 pointsmoved from 2nd to 1st | |
| 2, moved from 1st to 2nd | 33.8% | 22.2K | -18.1% | -4.8 pointsmoved from 1st to 2nd | |
| 3, held 3rd | 15.1% | 9.9K | +22.2% | +3.5 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 8.2% | 5.4K | -18.2% | -1.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 0.9% | 590 | -18.1% | -0.1 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 0.73% | 480 | -18.6% | -0.1 points |
41.3%
Moved from 2nd to 1st. 27.1K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +2.7 points.
33.8%
Moved from 1st to 2nd. 22.2K estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share -4.8 points.
15.1%
Held 3rd. 9.9K estimated branded searches, +22.2% vs prior month. Share +3.5 points.
4.
Hertz8.2%
Held 4th. 5.4K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -1.2 points.
5.
Europcar0.9%
Held 5th. 590 estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
6.
Thrifty0.73%
Held 6th. 480 estimated branded searches, -18.6% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Arnold Clark and 2 other brands sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “enterprise van hire”.
Compare popularity between Northgate and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Northgate
5 comparisons
How has branded search demand for Northgate changed in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Northgate in the United Kingdom rose from 6.6K to 9.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Northgate’s share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom increased from 9.7% to 15.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Northgate’s share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 15.1% in September 2026 and was lowest at 9.6% in March 2026.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom van hire companies in September 2026?
6 changes

In September 2026, Enterprise Rent-A-Car overtook Arnold Clark to become the leader among van hire companies in the United Kingdom, with 41.3% of the searches.

In September 2026, Northgate gained share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom, from 11.5% to 15.1%.

In September 2026, Arnold Clark lost share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom, from 38.6% to 33.8%.

In September 2026, Hertz lost share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom, from 9.4% to 8.2%.

Estimated monthly branded searches for Thrifty in the United Kingdom fell 52% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 480 in September 2026.

Estimated monthly branded searches for Europcar in the United Kingdom fell 18.1% over 12 measured months, from 720 to 590 in September 2026.
How are Northgate’s branded searches counted?
1 search term
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Northgate’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- northgate van hire
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